Calypso in Wonderland
by Winekita
Summary: Wonderlandish-AU. After following an odd-acting Percy down a dark hole, Calypso finds herself in a strange new world where everyone she used to know is different. When the Red Queen puts a bounty on her head, Calypso must traverse the odd world to fix it, with her new Cheshire Cat companion by her side. Can she survive, or will it be off with her head?On Hiatus until further notice
1. Movie Night

_**I actually had this idea when I was traveling around, but I forgot about it. Then, I happened to look in a tiny notebook and noticed the outline for this story and was all like :D**_

 ** _ **So, this will be short, I suppose. Not, like, three chapters short, but it definitely won't have more than 20 chapters. I've got the story planned out and everything!**_**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 _ ***~Calypso in Wonderland~***_

 **One: Movie Night**

"I understood absolutely _none_ of that, Leo."

The Seven, plus Calypso and a few other campers, had decided to hold a movie night in Bunker Nine. The only rule was that the movies had to be Disney.

Said son of Hephaestus scoffed. "Technically you're not supposed to. That's the fun in the movie."

Calypso looked at him skeptically. "What fun is there in not understanding?"

Annabeth patted her on the shoulder. "I'm in the same boat as you, Calypso. Half the things Percy does I don't understand. For example; liking a movie as crazy as Alice in Wonderland."

"Hey," the son of Poseidon protested from his spot on the floor. He was playing Apples to Apples with Frank, Will, Piper, Jason, and Hazel (who didn't know much about the people in the game). "It's a good movie! Not as great as the Little Mermaid, mind you…"

"Nah, man, the Lion King is way better than a bunch of fish-heads," Leo yelled.

"I really liked Cinderella," Hazel put in.

Travis and Connor (for they had joined in on the movie night) both piped up from their couch spots, "Aladdin is the best!"

"Hunchback of Notre Dame is a good one," Nico whispered, though only Hazel heard it.

Clarisse, who was sitting next to Chris on a mattress against the wall, growled, "Mulan wins." Chris just nodded faithfully.

Leo looked at Calypso expectantly. She smiled and said, "I suppose though the movie is terribly inaccurate to the real thing, I'll have to go with Hercules."

Everyone looked at her like she'd grown a second head. Being children of the Greek and Roman gods, they had all laughed at how terrible the movie was to the originals (Hades was especially funny). Calypso shrugged. "I loved the music and songs—especially _I Won't Say I'm in Love_."

"Because Meg has a nice voice?" Jason prompted.

"Because it was exactly how I felt when I tried not to fall for this imp over here," Calypso said smugly, pointing at an innocent-looking Leo.

Everyone laughed at the joke, though Annabeth looked a little disturbed. Calypso caught the look. The two girls didn't talk about—let alone _mention_ —Calypso's time on Ogygia. That meant delving into the 'Percy-was-also-on-Ogygia-and-I-fell-for-him' territory, which didn't seem like it was up for discussion.

Calypso was downright ashamed at what she'd done when Percy had left. She'd cursed Annabeth to feel the same loneliness as she. To feel betrayed and alone, always reaching for a love that will never return. Calypso had thought that harmless curse would forever rot in Tartarus, but after hearing that Percy and Annabeth had fallen down into the pit together…Calypso didn't want to think about all the horrible things Annabeth must assume of her now that she'd probably gone through that personal Hell of a curse…

"Sunshine?"

Calypso jerked her head over to her boyfriend. Leo blinked at her. "You okay? You look a little tense."

Calypso smiled at him, though she was painfully aware that it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Leo. Just tired, is all."

Annabeth looked at her watch. "It's 2:30 in the morning. Of course you're tired. We should all go to bed."

"The harpies are definitely gonna get us if we leave," Piper said. "We should just spend the rest of the night here, just to be safe."

"Not being eaten by harpies is a good thing," Travis squeaked.

"Just so long as I don't poke my eye out on these scattered swords, I'll be good," Nico growled.

"You could always share a mattress with me," Will prompted, which earned a blush from the son of Hades.

Percy gave a wide yawn as he helped clean up the Apples to Apples game. "Was hoping to get another round in, but since you mentioned sleep…"

Frank nodded, also yawning. "Should we all just find a table or a spot on the ground and hit the sack?"

In response, a chorus of yawning echoed off the walls. Everyone hunkered down in different places. Calypso ended up cuddling next to Leo near a wall. Leo was squished against the wall, but he didn't seem to care as he snored lightly into Calypso's hair.

Calypso was out like a light within minutes.

* * *

Calypso woke up to a prodding on her cheek. She opened her eyes, about to growl at Leo for waking her up in such an annoying way.

What she saw when she opened her eyes surprised her.

Percy Jackson was grinning like a fool as he crouched down in front of her. He was wearing a t-shirt that had a waistcoat design on the front, slim brown pants with a golden chain peeking out of the pocket, and a small top hat with rabbit ears sewn into the brim. They were more of a sewn-in design, not actual rabbit ears (real or fake) sticking out of the hat. "Hey, babe," he cooed. "How's it going?"

Calypso frowned at him. "Excuse me?"

"You look so awesome in those pajamas," he whispered, gesturing to the blue nightgown Calypso was wearing.

 _Is he playing a prank?_ Calypso turned her head to look at Leo, but the son of Hephaestus was gone! So was everyone else, for that matter! The whole bunker was devoid of life, except for Percy and Calypso.

"What's going on?" she questioned.

"Follow me and I'll show you." Percy gestured with his pointer finger for her to 'come hither'. Calypso didn't appreciate this one bit. She was not Percy's girlfriend, so why was he flirting with her? Where was Leo? Didn't he or Annabeth care what was going on?

Against her better judgment, Calypso followed the son of Poseidon out of the Bunker. He led her outside and disappeared behind a tree. When Calypso stuck her head behind the tree, Percy was gone.

"Percy?"

"Down here," came an echoed voice.

Calypso looked down and saw that Percy had jumped down into a rabbit hole. She looked around, trying to make sure this wasn't a prank. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like it wasn't a prank…

"Gods above, help me get through this weirdness…" she mumbled as she jumped down the hole after the son of Poseidon.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well? Interesting development, right? There's a reason for all of this going on. I'll update as soon as I can!**_

 _ **You'll get to meet a few of the Underland crew in the next chapter. Be prepared for a moral-giving story, for that's what this will be in the end.**_


	2. Chocolate and Kittens

_**Hee hee, someone knew who my Cheshire would be.**_

 _ **I had a little fun with this. I'm trying to be creative with my version of Wonderland/Underland. I don't want to copy straight from the movies or books, as that just isn't right. You'll see similarities, such as the chasing of the white rabbit (Percy) down a hole and meeting the core characters, but it won't be the way you think!**_

 _ **Have fun!**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Two: Chocolate and Kittens**

Calypso supposed jumping into a deep, dark hole without any rope or padding was a bad idea. A flashlight would have been good, too…

She had no idea why she had done it. Perhaps it was the curiosity. She wanted to know why Percy was acting so oddly towards her. She wanted to know why no one had been present in the Bunker. She wanted to know when this prank would end.

On another note, she wanted to know when she would stop _falling_! Her feet still hadn't touched the ground and she'd been dropping for a good minute!

Then, gravity shifted.

Instead of falling down, Calypso was suddenly falling _up_. Perhaps she merely tumbled without realizing it? Regardless, she was now falling headfirst towards the end of the tunnel.

Down, down, down she went. Calypso didn't know how much time had passed. This was worse than the solitary confinement on Ogygia. At least there she had something to do. Here, she kept shifting around, so as not to end up on her face.

Turns out it didn't matter.

Calypso suddenly lurched to the side and ended up on her left arm on the ground. "Ow," she groaned.

She looked around and noticed she was inside a small, blank room. The ceiling was so high Calypso couldn't even see it through the darkness. A few rafters decorated the upper atmosphere before the darkness completely consumed them. Had she fallen from up there? Where was _here_?

The former Titaness looked around the room. There was only one door, which was only as tall as Calypso was wide—meaning, it barely reached her calves. A fireplace, complete with a stoked fire, was in a corner of the room. A small table sat in the middle of the room, with only a water bottle and a Kit Kat bar sitting atop it.

Calypso walked over to the table and examined the items. She sniffed the chocolate, suddenly realizing that she was hungry. She unwrapped it from the wrapper.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

 _That voice…_ Calypso jerked her head up to the rafters. A long, black-and-brown-striped cat's tail swished lazily in the darkness. A small pair of eyes gleamed in the shadows.

"Chocolate makes you gain weight, you know," purred the voice.

Calypso glared at the shaded person. "Leo, I know that's you. If you're trying to be sneaky, at least have the decency to disguise your voice!"

The cat's tail curled and uncurled, almost playfully. "Don't know what you mean, pretty lady," Leo said. "But you must be psychic to know my name so quickly!"

Calypso squinted up at the darkness, but couldn't make out more than the godsdammed tail. "Get down here," she ordered.

"Do I look like a dog to you?" The tail swung loosely downward, as if bored. "Cats come when they feel like it, _not_ when they're called."

"You aren't a cat, Leo."

Leo didn't respond, so Calypso turned her attention back to the chocolate. It smelled delicious, so she decided to take a chunk off. The moment the bar hit her stomach, Calypso shot up like a rocket. Her feet were still planted on the ground, but her head smashed through the rafters. The room felt extremely small now, and her nightgown was almost completely ruined.

"Told you."

Calypso glanced at the shadows that now were closer to her eyes. Out of the darkness, slinking onto a broken rafter with more grace than he should have, slid Leo Valdez. Calypso blinked.

The cat's tail from earlier protruded from the base of Leo's spine, poking out of a hole made in his tight brown and black pants. A tight black v-neck tank top showed off his lean chest and small abs, and his scrawny arms heralded midnight-black and mahogany-brown stripes, much like a tabby cat's. Claws were present on his hands and bare feet. Instead of the regular slightly pointed ears, small brown cat ears were perched on Leo's head, poking out of his curls. Similar tabby markings, both black and brown, littered the sides of Leo's face.

Leo grinned, showing sharp fangs where his canines should have been. "Chocolate makes you gain weight, my dear. I warned you."

Calypso wanted to smack her boyfriend, but her shoulders were too wide to let her giant hands up. "Shut up and help me."

Leo perched at the end of the beam and curled his tail around his legs. "Well, that's not very polite. I would think a lovely lady like you had been taught how to use _please_ in her everyday language."

" _Please_ help me," she growled.

"Better."

Leo hopped down off of the rafter and landed lightly on all fours without breaking a bone. His tail curled around the water bottle. He trotted over towards the fireplace and slid inside the live fire. Had her boyfriend not been a fire user, that alone would have made Calypso think something was weird.

"Here you go."

Calypso nearly jumped at Leo, who was once again perched on the beam next to her head. _How did he…?_

He held out the water bottle. "Drink."

Calypso frowned. "I'd love to, Leo, but I'm a little too big to reach up here."

Leo chuckled. "That's what you get for eating too much chocolate."

"Leo, I swear I will dump you if you keep that up."

"Without even asking me out on a date first?" Leo held a hand over his heart. "Lady, you are just a ray of sunshine."

He purred and hopped on to Calypso's shoulder. "Open wide, sweetheart."

Calypso opened her mouth, allowing a bit of the water to trickle down her throat. Leo recapped the bottle after she gulped once and disappeared into the shadows.

Calypso shrank immediately. The force dragging her down was so powerful that she landed on her butt. She rubbed her backside as Leo reappeared inside the fireplace.

The cat version of her boyfriend helped her stand back up. "You need to work on your balance, sunshine," he purred.

Calypso snapped. She grabbed one of Leo's cat ears and pulled. Hard. "Stop acting like that, Leo! I'm through playing games with you! Take off that ridiculous costume right now and stop this prank!"

Leo yowled in protest. His tail fluffed up in pain and alarm. He wiggled under her grasp.

The moment his tail fluffed up, Calypso hesitated. A moving tail she could understand. Leo built automatons for a living; he could make individual parts move on their own. But fur that could fluff up at the right times? He wasn't _that_ good.

Calypso let go and Leo skittered over to a corner and crouched. He rubbed the tabby cat ear and whimpered in pain. His tail was still fluffed.

The former Titaness shuffled over and sat beside him. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"What did you think would happen when you pull on an ear?" he growled.

Calypso sighed. "I thought it was fake."

Leo looked at her with wide brown eyes. "Fake?" he screeched. "Why would they be fake?"

"Because you normally don't look like this," she told the cat-like Latino. "My boyfriend…he looks just like you, sans the tabby cat parts. He's a son of Hephaestus."

Leo cocked his head. "What's a Hephaestus?"

Calypso shook her head. "Not important." She held out her hand. "Let's start over. I'm Calypso, former Titan, daughter of Atlas."

Leo shook her hand. His hand was warm, just like it should be, but the claws and stripes threw Calypso off a bit. "Leo, Cheshire Cat—well, _kitten_."

Calypso giggled. "What do you mean by kitten?"

Leo grinned, his fangs showing again. Calypso noticed his fangs were actually quite small. Almost like baby teeth. "I'm not a fully developed Cheshire Cat yet. I'm just a kitten. Haven't gotten my special colors yet."

"Special colors?"

Leo squinted at her. "You don't know how Cheshires work? Weird. Anyway, we Cheshire Cats are born looking like normal tabbies with grey, brown, black, or white fur, but once we grow out of kittenhood, we gain our special colors. Females tend to stray near pinks and purples, while males are blue or green. I hope to get red and orange to replace these dark browns and blacks of mine."

He stretched, allowing Calypso to examine some of those stripes. She tried to imagine them turning red or orange or purple or green. A part of her wished there weren't any on him, since she missed her Leo.

"Might I ask what you're doing here?" Leo asked, his tail curling playfully.

"I was following Percy Jackson," she informed the Cheshire. "He ran down a hole and I followed, and I ended up down here."

Leo's eyes widened. "You mean you're from the Aboveland?" He snuggled up to her and purred loudly. "That's why you smell so lovely! Aboveland's scents are always so alive! Not like here, where we all smell like we took a dirt bath at birth."

Calypso was genuinely confused. "Okay." She patted him on the head, causing him to hum in delight. "Do you know where I could find a young man with shaggy black hair and green eyes? Likes the water?"

Leo shivered. "Likes _water_? Yuck! Give me a good fire to curl up inside any day." He curled his tail closer to his legs. "But a fellow named Percy by that description? I know of one, sure! He's a kind of friend of mine. Many call him the White Rabbit, though sometimes he's known by another name…"

It hit Calypso that perhaps this place was like a mirror of their world. Where Leo was a cat and Percy might be a rabbit. It certainly explained the top hat with the rabbit ear-stitches.

"Can you take me to him?"

Leo tilted his head. "I suppose." He shook his body free of dust. "Sure. I've got nothing better to do than to hang out with a lovely Abovelander."

He rubbed up against her. "But I suppose we should get you some new clothes, too? Your silky nightie looks ready to drop."

Calypso blushed. Leo purred in amusement and produced a key from his jeans pocket. He stuck the wrong end of the key into the door's keyhole. Calypso narrowed her eyes when it clicked and the door opened outward into a bright light.

Leo bowed. "After you, darling."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Ah, Leo the Cheshire Cat. That's my headcanon, not the Mad Hatter, though he'd fit that role, too xD**_

 _ **Next we meet the March Hare, and we see what Percy's been up to. Any guesses as to who March, Dormouse, Hatter, and the Queen are? I'm a little creative with the Queen and her king.**_


	3. Relationships

_**Yay! Another update!**_

 ** _We delve more into my made up Cheshire lore, too! It's quickly becoming complicated xD I never meant it to be, but it's happened and now I can't change it._**

 ** _Maybe one day, I'll do a chap in OSC about Cheshire Kitten Leo. :3 One day._**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Three: Relationships**

Percy straightened his waistcoat t-shirt and checked his breath. He strode through wide doors and entered the castle of the Red Queen confidently.

"What," he called in the hall, which echoed. "No announcement of my presence?"

A high-ranking guard appeared out of nowhere and burst open the doors to the throne room. Percy knew this to be Chris. He was a good guy, so Percy ignored the fact that he had been with his girlfriend—the White Rabbit could literally smell Clarisse all over the guard, so he assumed the two high guards must have been having a bit of fun in the closet or behind a pillar.

Chris bowed towards the throne. "Announcing: The return of the White Rabbit Percy!"

There was a figure on one of the thrones at the end of the room. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders beautifully, with a red chess queen's crown perched atop. Her grey eyes were narrowed as Percy confidently walked up to meet her.

He kissed her hand and smiled. "Miss me, my queen?"

Annabeth sighed. "I did. Where did you run off to?"

"Aboveland," he said. "There was a beauty there like no other—sans you, of course, my dear."

Annabeth squinted at him. "You didn't do anything?"

Percy grinned madly, though he shied away like the rabbit he was. Annabeth growled at him, "Seriously? I know you didn't just lead another girl here! Are you _trying_ to get beheaded?"

Percy's eyes widened in alarm. "Annabeth, I would never betray you like that! It's not _my fault_ she followed me."

Annabeth knew that was a lie, but she let it go with a heavy sigh. "Percy…I love you, I really do. But you are very hard to stay in a relationship with. You know I can get rather jealous."

Percy pouted. "Aw, no, sweetie! Don't do it!"

"I must. Clarisse," she called. "I need wanted posters made."

* * *

Calypso didn't expect to be stepping out into a huge garden. And by huge, she meant _gigantic_. Literally. The grass was at least two stories tall, and the flowers were twice that height. There was a rock the size of a hellhound nearby.

Calypso turned around to look at what sort of building they'd come out of but…

"Where'd the door go?" she yelped, only seeing an expanse of more giant garden.

Leo purred. "What door?" He held out a long Hershey's bar. "Chocolate?"

"I'd rather not eat something that makes me bigger, thanks."

He shrugged, then ate a second bar whole. "Suit yourself. I guess that nightie wouldn't last the change in size anyway. You can ride on my shoulder."

Leo's body grew to an enormous size, four times the height of the flowers. His clothes stayed in-tact somehow. He gently grabbed Calypso and set her on his shoulder. She felt uncomfortable sitting up here like this, but Leo the Cheshire kitten was being a softie with her. She knew no version of her boyfriend would hurt her intentionally.

"Comfy?" he purred. When Calypso nodded, he smiled. "Then hang on. I'd go my usual way, but I don't think you could handle my powers."

"Powers," she echoed as Leo trotted off. He was going at a nice, easy jog, so he didn't bounce too hard.

"Mmm," he hummed. "Every Cheshire has the ability to, for lack of a better word, _teleport_. Outsiders call it _going invisible_. Some cats can become mist and disappear to the next area, some travel through shadows, some through water. Any fire I see, I can teleport through it. For some, they'd have to have another shadow, or water source, or what have you, on the other side. For me, I just need to enter the fire, not exit. Though, I _can_ disappear into thin air as long as there's a fire on the exit."

"So, you're a fire jumper, or something?" Calypso asked.

Leo's purrs intensified. "I like that. Fire jumper. Has a nice ring to it. Better than Nico's _shadow traveler_ title."

"Nico's a Cheshire cat, too?" Calypso questioned, flabbergasted.

"You know Nico? He's a weird guy. Gives me the freaky deakies. But, he's a shadow Cheshire, fully grown with black fur and indigo stripes. In the dark, you really can't see him, let alone the stripes."

"Whereas you're hoping to blend in with fire," Calypso remarked.

"Fireplaces are cozy and warm and great places to nap in!" Leo protested.

Calypso shook her head, highly amused. Leo had slept in a fireplace as a child, so of course his weird mirror-self would love to do it all the time.

"Here we are!"

Calypso looked around, confused. They were at a small shack, no bigger than the weapons shed in Camp Half-Blood. "Um…"

"I know, I know," Leo apologized. "Usually she tries harder to blend it in, but I guess today she was feeling _wood shed_."

"Who?"

"The March Hare, of course! She's a good friend of mine! She knew my great-grandpa."

Calypso blinked when he strolled inside. The shack was… _not_ a shack. Inside, it looked like a jeweler's shop merged with a sewing factory. Every arts and crafts supplies item you could think of, this place had it. Jewels littered the floors and tables, ribbons were strewn everywhere, Popsicle sticks sat in delicate displays attached to anything with a flat surface...

A little young man—the size of Calypso—skittered around Leo's feet. Calypso couldn't see what he looked like, seeing as she was _that_ high up compared to the little person. "Watch it! You'll step on our stuff!"

Leo, forgetting Calypso was on his shoulder, leaped into the rafters of the shop, which were deceptively high. Calypso nearly dropped, but Leo's tail caught her and gently placed her back on his shoulder.

"Leo, really? You're going to get your dirty prints all over my rafters again!"

Calypso looked down at the help desk. She frowned. "Hazel?"

Hazel Levesque blinked and looked around. Her golden gaze stopped on Leo again. "Come down."

Leo's tail curled playfully. "Make me."

Hazel sighed. "Frank, go get it, please."

Suddenly, Frank appeared out of nowhere and shuffled off deeper into the mess of the shop. Calypso squeaked in alarm when he did that. Then she noticed the tiny white ears on top of his head, as well as the long, worm-like tail protruding from the base of his spine.

Leo chuckled. "Frank's a Dormouse. They can change _their_ size at will. The rest of us have to rely on chocolates and special water. Pain in the tail, if you ask me."

Frank came back with a yellow ball of string. He tossed it to Leo. Leo _mrrow_ ed in delight, his pupils dilating to an enormous size, and launched himself off the rafter. Calypso was thrown off his shoulder as he landed on Hazel's messy desk.

Hazel took out a bowl of milk and placed it on her desk. "You're getting too big for that, Leo."

The kitten, who had been playing with the string, stopped and lapped up a bit of milk. He shrank as he continued lapping. Brown and black fur grew over his skin and clothes, his hands and feet became paws, and whiskers poked out from the sides of his face. Leo was now a fully-turned tabby cat, complete with a little jingly bell collar, which Hazel had eagerly placed around his neck.

Leo looked up and flattened his ears. "This shouldn't count! I didn't come here to get collared!"

Hazel stroked his back. Leo arched it in reply, purring. "Too bad, kitty. You know the rules: If a Cheshire is collared indoors, they serve the master of the house for one full day. Now be a good kitten and stay on my lap as I deal with this."

Leo grumbled in annoyance as he was picked up and placed onto Hazel's lap. The young lady let him play with the string ball, so all was quickly forgiven. Finally, Hazel turned to Calypso, who had watched the scene from behind the milk bowl.

Calypso examined Hazel more thoroughly. She had a golden theme to her, wearing a dark golden vest-blouse combo over a flowing black skirt. A little golden top hat sat crookedly on her head, nestled into her curly cinnamon-toast-colored hair. Golden makeup lined her eyes and lips, speckles of which adorned her cheeks and neck. Two golden bunny ears (which looked a little fake compared to Leo's cat ears) swiveled around on the top of her head.

"Now," Hazel began, stroking Leo's fur. "Who do I have to thank for bringing this troublemaking kitten back into my shop?"

Calypso stepped up and raised her chin. "My name is Calypso, daughter of Atlas. Leo was escorting me to you for some, um, new clothes?"

Hazel smiled. "Aw, how sweet! I can see you _do_ need something new. But, you should be bigger, I imagine?" She gestured to a changing room behind her. Had that been there before? "Frank can show you to the room so you can size up. I think I have the perfect outfit for you!"

* * *

Five minutes later, Calypso was normal-sized again, wearing different clothes. The outfit was simple; just a white blouse with light blue elbow cuffs, a smoky grey skirt, comfortable shoes, and a silky blue scarf and mini-cape.

Leo gave an approving meow from his spot on Hazel's table. "Love it, Callie! It suits you so much!"

The kitten was contentedly eating a bowl of blackened and charred fish. Calypso could already see that Leo had gained a bit of a belly from eating so much. She walked over and rubbed it.

Leo purred and rolled onto his back, exposing his extended belly. "That's the spot. You're so nice, Calypso! So gentle! If you need a permanent pet, I think I'll be content in getting permanently collared by you."

"What's with this collared nonsense, anyway?" Calypso asked.

Hazel came from almost nowhere and offered Calypso some tea. "Sorry we can't have a party to celebrate the tea," she apologized. "To answer your question: Cheshire cats have a rule they follow concerning collars. If one is collared indoors unwillingly, they must serve the one who collared them for a full day. They'd hunt mice, be the cute pet, get dressed up…you name it."

"How does that become permanent?"

Leo answered this time: "A Cheshire must be willing to be collared outside among prying eyes, and the collar must have the owner's blood on it. Unless the owner dies, this is a binding contract."

"Do you have to stay in that form permanently?" Calypso inquired.

"Nah, but Hazel wants me in this form for now, so it's what I'm stuck with at the moment…"

Calypso turned to Hazel, taking a sip of her (pretty good, she might add) tea. "Why did you collar him?"

Hazel smiled, her expression border-lining madness. "Because Leo's a cute little pyro kitty. I may have Frank as a lover, but it's nice to have a pet, too. I'm hoping he'll just come back one day as an adult and beg me to collar him permanently."

Leo washed his paws with his tongue. "Keep dreaming. Frank is _still_ uncomfortable around me."

"It's because you play with fire," Frank the Dormouse complained. "I don't care that you're a cat. I just care _not_ to get burned by your flame 'porting."

"I think the phrase you're looking for is _fire jumping_ ," Leo purred. "Calypso made it up! I love it so much!" He rubbed up against Calypso's arm. "Did you know she's an Abovelander? She smells so lovely, almost like catnip!"

Hazel's eyes softened. "An Abovelander? No wonder he's so interested in you. I can't compete with an Abovelander for collaring rights."

"You keep saying _Abovelander_ ," Calypso interjected. "What does that mean?"

"It means you aren't from around here," Frank said. "This place we live in, it's called Underland. You came here from above, right?" When she nodded, he continued. "Then that means you're from Aboveland."

"So, that begs the question: What are you doing down here?" Hazel inquired.

Calypso retold the story of how Percy had lured her down, and also of her versions of Hazel, Frank, Leo, and Percy and why they were so drastically different from the Underland versions.

"Shapeshifter?" Frank questioned. "Okay…"

"So that's why you're attracted to Leo here. He's your boyfriend up there," Hazel deduced.

Calypso flushed. "I'm not attracted to this Leo."

The Cheshire kitten purred and stroked her with his long tail. "Don't deny it—you know I'm cute. No one can resist the cute kitten!"

A horn sounded, making the room tremble. Hazel smiled. "Mail's coming!"

Frank got a shield from a pile of stuff and stood in front of the door. He had just enough time to raise his shield before a brick came smashing through the door. It bounced off the shield easily.

 _Okay_ , Calypso thought. _That's one way to deliver the mail…_

Strapped to the brick was a single parchment.

Frank frowned when he examined the parchment, looking to Calypso several times. "Uh…Any particular reason Percy made you follow him?"

"No idea," Calypso admitted. "Why?"

"Because it seems you're under arrest for seducing the Red King. The Queen wants your head!"

Hazel gasped and looked at the paper for confirmation. "It's true. Oh man, why'd you seduce the Red King? Annabeth is very protective of him!"

"Wait, back up." Calypso held her arms up. "Red King? Who is that? And why does this have anything to do with Percy?"

"Percy is the Red King," Leo informed her.

"You said he was known as the White Rabbit," Calypso protested.

"Yeah, but that's mostly within our little private groups and black market friends." Leo scratched an itch on his flank as he spoke. "He's also known as the Red King, husband and co-ruler to the Red Queen—Queen Annabeth."

* * *

 _ **A/N: I'm tired, so my brain doesn't work so well. If that ending seems a bit wonky, maybe I'll change it when I can see straighter. G'night everybody!**_


	4. The News is Out!

_**I was gonna introduce Piper and Jason in this chapter, but then I realized I had to get to the Stolls first. I also wanted to introduce what Will was and where Nico would be during all of this.**_

 _ **Speaking of Nico, I'll just say this before anyone asks: No, Hazel is not Nico's sister in Underland. I don't plan on involving Bianca, either. At least not more than a mention.**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Four: The News is Out!**

Calypso was very confused. Everything around her was spinning. She felt faint. She heard Hazel yell, "Leo, catch her!"

Leo transformed back into the mirror neko-image of Calypso's boyfriend. His belled collar jingled at the sudden movement. He caught the former Titan before she landed face-first on the ground and gently helped her sit down.

"You okay, Callie?" Leo asked, his cat ears pushed forward in alarm.

"No!" Calypso snapped. "I'm not okay! Annabeth wants my head! How can I be okay with that?!"

"To be fair," Frank said, swishing his Dormouse tail. "Annabeth wants nearly everyone's heads, especially those who get the attention of Percy the White Rabbit."

"Not helping," Hazel growled. She lowered herself and looked at Calypso with a sincere smile. "There's probably been a misunderstanding somewhere. You said this place is a mirror of the Aboveland, right?"

"Well, the people are, but..."

"Then it stands to reason that there might be a mirror of yourself flirting with Percy, right? Maybe when Percy saw you in Aboveland, he mistook you for your mirror and led you down here by mistake."

"I suppose." Calypso scrunched her eyebrows together. "But still...what if it's not a misunderstanding? Even the Annabeth I knew must have been a little jealous that I was once in love with her Percy. To see a more extreme version of that jealousy here...I don't feel well thinking about it..."

Leo rubbed his curly-haired head againste Calypso's arm. "You're so agitated, you're making my fur stand up. Settle down, Calypso. Please? For me?"

Leo brought out big, shiny brown eyes, with a look that rivaled Puss in Boots from Shrek. Calypso stroked his curls and rubbed his ears, receiving a big purr in return. Leo's tabby tail swished in glee.

Hazel brought a finger to her chin. "Maybe...maybe it would be better if we just sent you home."

Frank snapped his fingers. "I got it! We could see the Hatter and the Dodo!"

Hazel grinned. "Great idea, Frank! They'll definitely know how to get back upstairs!"

"And who are the Hatter and the Dodo?" Calypso asked.

"The Hatter is a woman who's known to be quite different," Hazel informed the former Titan. "She hates dresses and fashion, yet makes the best Hats in all of Underland. Everyone calls her mad because she refuses to wear a dress or any girly clothes."

"What do you do, anyway?"

"I'm a jeweler."

"Why the fabric?"

Hazel snorted, acting as though the answer was obvious. "Because you can't have precious gems without ribbons and string, silly. Watch."

She took a ribbon of green fabric from the floor and made a ball with it. Leo's pupils dialated as her fingers massaged the fabric. His rump wiggled a bit, like he was about to pounce. Frank noticed this and threw the yellow string-ball at the kitten. Leo lunged for it and meowed playfully as he played with the ball on his back next to Calypso.

Meanwhile, Calypso watched as the green fabric shimmered and changed color from green to red to purple to yellow and finally back to green. Hazel took some stray string from her pockets, tied a knot around the ball of fabric and held out the finished product to Calypso. "Ta-da!"

Calypso eyed the ball skeptically. Hazel rolled her eyes and said, "Untie the knot."

Calypso obliged, quickly undoing the string and releasing the fabric from its balled form. The fabric turned grey, like its color had been muted. When the ribbon was undone, a large emerald sat in the middle of Hazel's palm. Calypso gasped. "H-How?"

"Told you. All you need is some ribbon and string to get a nice, big precious gem." Hazel tossed the gem to Frank, who placed it in a drawer filled with emeralds. "Now, about the Dodo (seeing as how you asked about him earlier, too): The Dodo is the Hatter's boyfriend. He's also the best flier in Underland."

"A dodo that can fly?"

"Yes, all dodos fly, silly. Keep up, Calypso." Hazel twirled a strand of her curls around one of her fingers. "Where was I? Oh, yes, Mr. Dodo. Best flier, one of the smartest birds I know, and some claim he's wiser than the Caterpillar, Reyna. I don't believe that, of course. Reyna's way wiser."

"Reyna's the Caterpillar?" Calypso imagined the blue bug from the Disney movie, smoking and repeating vowels randomly as he spoke rhymes. "Sure. Why not?"

Hazel tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm sure these are codenames. What are the Dodo and Hatter's actual names?"

"Mr. Dodo's real name is Jason. The Mad Hatter's is Piper."

Leo's ears perked up. "I just caught the conversation. Are we gonna see Pipes and Sparky?"

"Yes," Frank huffed. "Keep up, will you?"

Leo gave a _mrrow_ in delight. "Yay! This is a great day! I haven't seen Pipes in forever!"

Calypso groaned, "Piper as the Mad Hatter...As if this day couldn't get any wierder. I'll never look at anyone the same again."

"If you live to see them again," Frank muttered.

Hazel slapped his arm. "You aren't helping!"

"I'm trying to be realistic."

Leo chuckled. "Realistic? What's that mean?"

* * *

The White King was casually reading the mail in his throne. "Wanted for Beheadment?" he read aloud. "Annabeth certainly is on a roll, isn't she?"

His Cheshire cat lover read along while he sat on the king's lap. "For liking the White Rabbit, I'll imagine. She's so clingy."

The king stroked the black and indigo cat's back. "Says the cat who won't leave me alone."

The Cheshire flattened his ears. "You're the one who wouldn't let me go outside for eternity, Will."

"Because you were dumb and needed bedrest, Nico. I forced you to stay so you wouldn't die. Not my fault you fell for me."

Nico hopped off Will's lap and stalked to a shadowy corner, changing into his human form as his did so. When he reached the shadows, he brushed his medium-length black hair out of his eyes with a pale hand.

"And where are you going?" Will inquired, his sky-blue eyes sparkling.

"Something's weird. One of the Cheshires is involved with this scandal, I just know it."

"Which one?"

"Let's see; Beautiful girl on the beheading list, probably needs assistance getting out of Underland, and is probably an Abovelander. Leo's gotta be involved."

Will snickered. "You're right. Where do you think he'd be?"

"The Mad Hatter's is a good guess. He likes to sit in Piper's fireplace when he's bored."

"Have fun. Don't let Annabeth catch you helping this mystery girl. She might reinstate the beheading summons for you."

Nico waved off the statement. "I'm pardoned now that you're my owner, Mr. _White King_. Annabeth can't touch me while I'm yours."

Will smirked. "Have fun, then."

"Chasing down Leo is never fun."

* * *

Two twin brothers looked at the mail with akin expressions. A very beautiful girl probably required their help. She looked like the type to have some dough on her. That, and Percy probably needed to get in good with Annabeth again.

"Which do you think would be better?" The first said to the second. " _The Jabberwocky_ or _The Walrus and the Carpenter_?"

The second appeared to think for a moment. "The latter is longer. It'll distract her easier, I think."

The first bounced on the balls of his feet. "Cool! We haven't done that rhyme in a while! Should we inform the White Rabbit that we've got this covered?"

"Doesn't hurt to send a letter."

The first twin, Tweedledee (otherwise known as Connor), wrote on the back of the wanted scroll in purple squid ink. Tweedledum (Travis), tied it to a brick, nodded to his brother and threw it into the air. When the brick flew out of sight, Connor said, "You think he'll get the message?"

"He has to," Travis said. "I aimed it at his window. You know I have the better aim when it comes to the five-mile throw."

"True, true."

* * *

Elsewhere, a beautiful but cold-looking woman was also reading the news. Her expression was grim. "Uh-oh," she said, lifting a long drag to her lips gracefully. "I'd better warn this girl of the dangers. She might not know just how terrible it is to trust strangers."

Reyna the Caterpillar hopped off of her mushroom, ate some chocolate, grew four sizes up, and began to run for the Hatter's house, knowing full well this newcomer would be heading straight for her.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Ooh, so many plot points!**_

 _ **Here are some questions for you all, to pass the time until the next update:**_

 _ **Just how crazy is Mad Hatter Piper?**_

 _ **Will Jason look ridiculous in his Dodo-ness?**_

 _ **What are the Tweedle-Stolls up to?**_

 _ **Reyna is a caterpillar. Not a question, just a statement. Carry on.**_

 _ **Will Reyna and Nico find Calypso and Leo before it's too late?**_

 _ **Not all of these questions will be answered in the next chapter. Will you make it until they are?**_

 _ **Tune in next time for the next installment of**_ **Calypso in Wonderland _!_**


	5. Taken Away

_**Got nothing to say except to my guest reviewers that only say "UPDATE NOW". I am calling out the guest ones because I can't directly reply to you.**_

 _ **If you don't have something to say beyond 'update', then don't review at all. I have a life, a job. Saying just 'update' is rude and makes me not want to update.**_

 _ **Also, don't review on this story, or any other of mine, telling me to update Papi V2. That story will get updated in due time. I never quit on my fanfictions, and that one will finish, just at a slower pace than most.**_

 _ **Anyway, carry on and enjoy this new chapter!**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Five: Taken Away**

The forest between Hazel's jewelry shop and Piper's place was an…interesting one. It was like they had stepped into the game _Candyland_. Candy cane trees decorated the landscape for miles, dotted with gumdrop bushes. Giant lollipops surrounded the path the four of them were on.

Leo grabbed a sapling lollipop and began sucking on it. "Mmm…sour apple! My favorite!"

Calypso narrowed her eyes. "But…that sucker is orange and purple."

Leo cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah. It's a surprise in every lollipop! They come in all colors, but you never know what flavor it is until you taste it!"

Frank tore off a branch from one of the candy cane trees and popped it into his mouth. "The Aboveland has some strange things. My Aboveland self can shape shift, not size shift; Leo handling sharp and dangerous objects on a daily basis; Annabeth _not_ beheading people?"

"It sounds like a dream world," Hazel muttered.

" _This_ place is a dream world to me," Calypso said. "Even on Ogygia, there was no such thing as a candy tree or gumdrop bushes."

Leo's eyes widened in alarm. " _What_!?" he shrieked. "That's an _awful_ place!"

"It's not that bad," Calypso said. "I used to live alone on an island, and when Leo—not you, but _my_ Leo—rescued me, I was introduced to so many new, modern things. My world is as strange to me as it sounds to you."

Leo's tail curled. "Your Leo rescued you? How?"

"Ogygia was an island no man could find twice, and all but Leo had a girlfriend or wife to return to. I was cursed to fall in love with every man that came to my island. Leo managed to come a second time and flew me off on a bronze mechanical dragon after dying and coming back to life."

Leo had stopped, looking a little deflated. "Wow…he sounds a lot better than me."

Calypso waved Hazel and Frank to walk away for a minute. She smiled sweetly at the kitten. "You know, you two aren't that different. He's got a little inferiority complex, too. He always belittles himself and says everyone else is stronger than him. But I bet you are one of the strongest people—or cats—you know."

Leo crouched down on all fours and looked even worse than before. "I'm not that good. I don't even have my colors yet…I'm a really sorry excuse for a Cheshire!"

Calypso hugged him. She felt a deep purr rumble in his chest as his tail slid around the duo. Calypso smiled. "You _are_ strong, Leo. Don't let anyone say otherwise. How can you say you aren't a good Cheshire?"

"Because I'm not!" Leo's ears went straight back. "Our leaders don't think I'll ever be good enough to get my special colors…They think I'm too unpredictable…"

Calypso stroked his tail. "Well, you _are_. But that's what makes you special. My Leo is the same. The unpredictability is what makes Leo… _Leo_."

The kitten began to rub his head against Calypso's shoulder, his purr growing in strength. "Thank you, Callie."

Calypso didn't normally like anyone calling her Callie, but she supposed she would allow this Leo to do it. Her Leo called her Sunshine when she didn't like the name and somehow she loved it now. She'd already grown to love this Leo's nickname for her.

"Uh, guys…"

Calypso looked at Hazel and Frank, who had frozen in place. It seemed like the area was darker than before. She felt Leo tense up, his hackles rising. "What is it?"

She turned and was face to face with Nico. On a normal basis, Nico kind of scared Calypso. Leo had said multiple times that the kid needed to have a bell put around his neck.

This Nico _did_ have a bell around his neck. It didn't make a sound, though—probably because Nico was not moving.

Anyway, seeing Nico, with black and indigo stripes on his face in a manner similar to Leo's, three inches from Calypso's face was enough to make her jump back. Leo went as low as he could.

Nico crossed his arms. "Leo," he said quietly. "Looks like I guessed right. You _are_ involved with the girl the Red Queen wants to behead." He picked up the kitten by the collar. Leo suddenly transformed into the tabby kitten he was. Nico's black cat ears laid back. "You ran from the clan again, and where do I find you? With an _Abovelander_. You need to prove to the leaders that you can stay in one place. But you can't, can you?"

Leo didn't reply. He just looked down sadly.

Calypso stood up. "Can this wait, Nico? Leo was helping me get back home."

Nico looked at her with narrowed eyes. "First of all, you know my name? Secondly, Leo doesn't really _help_. He makes things worse." Nico glared at Leo. "Like burning down three dens and running away from punishment."

Leo gave a weak whimper.

Calypso pried the tabby kitten from Nico's hands. Nico growled, but Calypso leveled a stare at him. "Whatever grudge you have with Leo, it can wait. He's helped me so far, and I'd appreciate it if you would just _back off_."

Nico actually took a step back. He looked at her like she'd grown a second head. Calypso guessed he only had a few people ever talk to him like that.

Hazel got between the two. "Calypso," she said softly. "You don't want the Cheshires after you. Nico has a lot of power within the clan _and_ can talk the White King into doing nearly anything he wants. Just let Leo be taken back to the clan."

Calypso looked at Hazel with a hurt expression. "But…"

"It's okay, Callie," Leo meowed. "I was being a scaredy cat, running from my problems in the clan. I thought I could help some of the dens by giving them a fireplace to keep the Cheshires warm—like the fireplace Piper has—but things went wrong and the dens caught fire. The leaders said I should stay in my den until proper punishment was given, but…I run when I'm scared."

He wiggled out of Calypso's grasp and changed back to his human form. He walked over to Nico. "I'll go back and accept my punishment, now."

Nico nodded. "Good." He faced Calypso. "If he hadn't been dumb, I would have been helping you. Queen Annabeth once had a beheading charge on me, so I understand."

Calypso looked at Leo, her eyes sad. "Will you be okay?"

"Probably. Usually major punishments are trial-by-fire, so I'll be good."

Nico rolled his eyes and gestured to the side, where a shadow began to shift towards them.

Calypso hugged Leo. "Be safe. And be more confident in yourself. You'll get those red and orange stripes soon, I promise."

He purred so loud Calypso began to shake. "Thanks, Callie. And I hope you get home soon. In one piece, too."

Nico nodded to Hazel and Frank before grabbing Leo's tail and hauling the kitten into the shadows.

Calypso looked at Hazel. "I guess there's nothing more to do than to keep going."

Frank patted her on the shoulder. "You gonna be okay? I know Leo meant a bit more to you."

"If my Leo can handle himself and defy odds, I'm sure this Leo is more than able to make it out okay."

"If you say so." Frank changed size and hopped onto Hazel's shoulder.

"By the way, Hazel," Calypso began as they walked through the candy forest again. "Do you have any siblings?"

"No, why?"

"That's kind of funny." Calypso broke a lollypop out of the ground. "Because up there, you have a brother."

"Oh, really? What's his name?"

Calypso smiled. "It's Nico."

"Excuse me?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, we lose little kitten Leo. But will he be gone forever? Only time will tell, my friends...**_


	6. The Mad(?) Hatter and Mr Dodo

_**Yay, we finally meet Piper and Jason!**_

 _ **Piper's outfit was one I pulled out of my ass. The colors don't really match, though they sure sound like it. Don't tease her fashion sense, because trust me: I'm no child of Aphrodite but I can really put an outfit together. Ask anyone that knows me. I actually tried not to make Piper too color conscious, so nya~! :P**_

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Six: The Mad (?) Hatter and Mr. Dodo**

Calypso still missed Leo—Cheshire or otherwise—but she couldn't afford to get distracted. Her head was literally on the line.

In the distance, Calypso saw a giant top hat. She squinted, seeing something that looked like a giant peacock feather sticking out of the back of the hat.

"Is that…?"

Frank nodded on Hazel's shoulder. "Piper's place. She makes hats and other fashion items for many people in Underland. Hazel gets some of her ribbons from Piper's scraps."

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hit the top of the hat and a spot flew through the air like a jet towards the group. The thing landed with a huge _BANG_ , enveloping the area in smoke and rubble. Calypso coughed through the smoke, waving her hand to try and clear the air.

A voice boomed, " _Who dares enter the realm of the Hatter?_ "

Calypso flinched. That had been loud, but the voice sounded familiar. A shape began to form in the smoke, looking like a giant bird. Glowing blue eyes pierced her soul.

A giant Frank suddenly appeared, slightly smaller than the giant bird shade. Calypso assumed he must have the ability to change into a giant as well as a dwarf. Frank's loud voice echoed through the smoke: "It is just us; the March Hare and the Dormouse."

" _And the third?_ "

Frank glanced back at Calypso for a few seconds, then turned to the bird shadow. "Her name is Alice."

Calypso squeaked, "What?"

Hazel was next to her. "We use codenames. Once we get inside, we'll go for regular names again. It's a…security issue around here."

"Are you in some sort of resistance?"

Hazel shook her head. "No. But names hold power."

"Of course." Calypso nodded. "I definitely understand. But…I thought Leo said Frank was _a_ dormouse. Why is he named _the_ Dormouse?"

"Just a codename," Hazel said. "Like Jason is _a_ dodo but is known as _Mr._ Dodo, or Piper is _a_ hatter but is known as _the_ Hatter."

The bird shadow looked at Calypso for a moment with its piercing blue eyes. Then, the smoke was blown away and the shadow shrank into…

…Jason!

Now Calypso understood why she had thought the voice familiar; a loud, deep-voiced Jason sounded a lot like Zeus.

Jason wore a blue waistcoat over a long-sleeved white tee, light grey pants and orange boots. His gold-rimmed glasses sat neatly on the bridge of his nose. A plumage of blue and grey tail feathers poked out of his rear, and similar feathers draped his shoulders.

The dodo version of Jason bowed when the girls approached. He took Calypso's hand and kissed it lightly. "A pleasure, Alice. I am Mr. Dodo, lover of the Mad Hatter."

The former Titan smiled. "Nice to meet you, Jas—Mr. Dodo."

Jason raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He turned to Hazel. "Welcome back, March. Tea?"

"Would love some, thanks," Hazel said. "And to celebrate it?"

Jason shrugged. "We already celebrated our Unbirthdays today, but I'm sure Hatter would love to break out the party table anyway!"

Calypso was not liking all of the Alice in Wonderland references. It was starting to hurt her head, and the deeper she went into this crazy world, the less she understood. She felt like she would be mad by the time she got back up to her world.

Jason led the group to the giant top hat, his tail feathers swishing lightly. Calypso became a little entranced in them, but then stopped staring when she realized she was staring right at Jason's butt—Piper would probably not approve.

The giant top hat house's door swung open and the Hatter stepped out. Calypso was actually floored by Piper's outfit.

A green vest over a purple-and-green striped button shirt was only the beginning. Her brown pants were tucked into purple high-heeled boots. A brown windbreaker jacket hung loosely on her shoulders. Glittering bangles adorned her arms and legs, as well as her chest. Jason's dodo feathers were braided into her choppy brown hair. Her top hat was magenta, covered with jewels, feathers, beads, ribbons, and one tag that read 10/6.

Piper grinned. "Well, well. What brings the Hare and the Mouse to my doorstep?"

Hazel hugged the crazy-outfitted girl. "We're here to help the Abovelander."

Piper looked at Calypso. "Why, hey there! I'm the Mad Hatter. We'll talk names in the backyard."

Calypso kept staring at Piper's clothes. "Judging by your outfit, I can tell why you're considered mad."

Piper grinned. "I know. Everyone calls me mad because I won't wear dresses or skirts. They say it's crazy for a woman to wear pants, but in my relationship, _someone_ has to."

Jason rolled his eyes.

Calypso was about to comment that she meant Piper's color choices were crazy, but stayed silent. _Best not poke the bear_.

Piper led them to the backyard, which was decorated with dancing teapots, running cups, and a large, white table that shuddered slightly. Everyone bounced to a beat that Calypso couldn't hear or understand, even Frank.

Piper directed them to the shuddering table and snapped her fingers. The chairs scooted back for the group to sit in and the teapots poured hot tea into the cups. Calypso sniffed the tea, smelling her favorite herbal blend. She assumed this must work in a similar fashion to the lollypops back in the candy forest.

Hazel threw a thimble at Jason, who in-turn threw a button at Frank, who threw a piece of cheese at Piper, who threw a ring at Calypso. Calypso blinked at the scene, and the group blinked at her.

"Well?" Piper asked.

"Well, what?" Calypso said.

"Aren't you going to throw?" Jason asked.

"Throw what?"

"Whatever is unimportant in your pocket," Frank informed her. "Throw it at Hazel, that way we can go ahead and have tea."

Calypso searched her pockets and found a silver ribbon. She wadded it up and threw it at Hazel. Hazel caught it and smiled.

They drank the tea, finally, without further incident.

Piper finally snapped her fingers. "Okay, Dodo, do your thing."

Jason flicked his wrist. Fog rolled in and covered the air above them in a thick, white dome. He grinned at Piper. "Floor's yours."

Piper smiled. "Soundproof fog. Great for secret meetings. So, what's your name?"

"Calypso, daughter of Atlas. And, I actually know your names."

Calypso recounted her tale of following Percy the White Rabbit down into Underland, and her strange meeting with Leo the Cheshire Kitten. As they listened, Piper and Jason drank some tea, nodding. They both had wide eyes.

"A son of the king of the gods, am I?" Jason mused. "Nice."

Piper rolled her eyes. "You might want to put that ego down, mister. Someone could get hurt. Namely you."

"Shame about Leo, though," Jason said. "But the Cheshires _have_ been a bit riled up lately."

"They've been riled up since Leo first learned to walk on two legs," Frank put in.

"Anyway," Piper interjected, sipping her tea. "Let's get down to business. Calypso needs to get back upstairs before the Red Queen gets to her. I'm thinking we use the Garden of the Golden Afternoon."

Hazel nodded. "That might work. The flowers will have grown by now. They should reach the Aboveland stairs easily."

"Hate to be the Downer Dormouse, here," Frank said. "But the flowers probably won't appreciate Calypso climbing all over them. Anyone smaller than them that moves will be a weed in their eyes. And you know what they do to weeds."

"Precisely why I'm suggesting it." Piper sipped her tea again, then tossed the cup over her shoulder. Another cup ran up to replace it. Behind her, a teapot began sucking up the remains of her previous cup's tea. Everyone else did the same to their cup, so Calypso merely followed suit. "If we had Leo with us, it would be better. He could be the threatening pyro in the garden. However, I think we can make do with this group."

Calypso raised her hand. "Sorry, but…what do the flowers do to weeds?"

"Stretch them as far as they can go, pull their roots out, break them in half, grind up the remains, and send them down the nearby river," Hazel answered calmly. "Or feed them to the dandelions and tiger lilies. Depends on their mood."

Calypso paled. "Is there a less dangerous way to get back up there? What about the way I came? Through the room I fell into?"

Jason shook his head. "No good. Even if you _could_ get into the room without a Cheshire to 'port you there, you'd have no way of getting to the Aboveland. You _fell down_ into that room. There's no way back _up_."

"Couldn't you fly me up?"

"Fly? To the Aboveland?" Jason snorted, which almost sounded like a honk. "That's ridiculous! Ludicrous! Bambostulous, even!"

"The closer Jason gets to the Aboveland, the less he'll be able to use his powers," Piper explained. "In your world, dodos cannot fly—upsetting notion—and if Jason goes up there, he won't be able to fly. Not to mention he might run into his mirror self and that just wouldn't be right."

"Dodos can't fly in your world?" Hazel questioned. "First you say you don't have candy trees, now you say dodos are flightless birds!"

"Um… _extinct_ flightless birds," Calypso mumbled. She glanced at Jason, who had paled considerably.

"We're getting off track," Frank interrupted. "If we felt _really_ bold, we could take her to one of the castles. Annabeth has a doorway leading to the Aboveland that opens one way. That's how Percy gets up there all the time."

"Or we could go to Will," Piper said. Then, she frowned. "No, wait…the White King has a doorway leading _back_ to Underland. It can only be opened from upstairs…"

Calypso shook her head and placed it in her hands. "Any _other_ suggestions?"

No one offered up another alternative. Calypso sighed. "So my choices are: A) Go to a murderous flower garden that might mistake me for a weed or B) Go _directly_ to the person that wants to behead me and somehow find the door to get back home in her castle."

"If we still had Leo," Jason mumbled, "we could go to the fiery volcano and drop you into the lava. He'd protect you and 'port—"

"I wouldn't even trust _my_ Leo to save me from that," Calypso grumbled. "He'd die with me, and as _romantic_ as that sounds…" she rolled her eyes and hoped Aphrodite didn't hear that comment. "…I think I'll pass on dying-by-lava."

"So, what will it be?" Hazel inquired. "Killer flowers or killer queen?"

Calypso shrugged. "The garden has a better chance for me, I suppose. Let's go there."

" _After_ we finish our tea party," Piper said with a grin. "You _never_ leave early from a tea party, and you _never_ interrupt one. Bad manners."

"You know what's also bad manners?" Jason muttered. "Trying to get into the soundproof dome while we're having a private tea party."

Everyone froze. Jason glared at the three guests. "Were you followed?"

Hazel shook her head. "To my knowledge, no! Is it Leo? He knew we were coming here. So does Nico."

Jason cocked his head, as if listening. "No. If it was Leo, I'd let him in. Actually, he and Nico would have just 'ported in here. One weakness to my dome: you can teleport in here via Cheshire power."

Piper looked a little worried. "Who's trying to get in?"

Jason sat for a moment before answering. "The Tweedles."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Oh no, what are the Stolls up to? D: Where's Reyna? And Leo? Tune in next time!**_


	7. TweedleStolls and Blue Caterpillars

**_Jesus, sorry for the wait. In my defense, my late computer decided it was time to turn off randomly and never come alive again. The motherboard went kaput and that was all she wrote. So, I had Geek Squad transfer my harddrive files to an external and painfully shelled out a grand for a new computer.  
_**

 ** _Anyway, we get to meet some (sorta) new faces. You've seen them before, but now I elaborate. Especially on Reyna. It was a little hard for her at first, but I made it work, I believe :)_**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Seven: Tweedlestolls and Blue Caterpillars**

"Who are the Tweedles?" Calypso asked.

Piper dropped a sugar cube into her tea. "Twins with loyalty as flimsy as a noodle. Only they know what they're thinking. There's a rumor that says they're psychic."

"Why are they here?"

Hazel cleared her throat. "Well…there _is_ a certain Abovelander down here causing attention."

Calypso rolled her eyes. "This is getting ridiculous."

Jason glanced at her. "I'm going to take down the barrier. Remember, Calypso: outside this circle, you are codenamed Alice. I'm Mr. Dodo, Piper is the Hatter, Hazel is the March Hare, and Frank is the Dormouse."

"Got it."

Jason waved his hand and the fog dissipated. Calypso looked to the top of the hill, past the top-hat-shaped building. She thought she saw something glisten.

Jason summoned a storm and lightning struck the area where Calypso had supposedly seen the light.

Two figures darted away from the area, sprinting down the slope. Calypso groaned as soon as she recognized the Stoll brothers. _I should have guessed it was them…_

They stopped in front of the group, smiling like true Hermes children. Calypso had to wonder if there was some sort of community that this version of the Stolls were a part of, like Leo and Nico. Probably some thieves guild, of which Hermes was most likely the head. Both of them wore matching green vests and brown pants, with white undershirts and black boots. They each had a large coin purse strapped to their hips next to a dagger, but Calypso suspected they could hold more than just coins.

"Greetings," said Travis (Calypso could tell them apart any time. It was one of her specialties.).

"We are the Tweedles," Connor said. "I'm Tweedledee and that's my brother, Tweedledum."

"No, I think _I'm_ Tweedledee and _you're_ Tweedledum," Travis argued.

Calypso rolled her eyes. "Stop it, Connor..." she pointed at the young man in question. "...and Travis." The finger moved to the other twin. "I'm not in the mood for your weird ideas of fun. So, if you'd please move on."

The Stolls exchanged a strange look.

Jason snickered. "First try and she guesses right!"

"Normally they do a whole game on who's who, and if you win you keep your valuables," Piper explained. "Most of the time _I_ can't tell them apart."

"How'd you do that?" Travis complained.

"You cheated!" Connor protested.

Calypso shrugged. "In the Aboveland, there are twins just like you. I have this special sense when it comes to telling them apart. You are no different."

The twins pouted, then put their heads together and began to whisper. Hazel grabbed Calypso's arm and made her scoot back a bit. "Careful. When they're beaten they get extra vengeful. They'll get their way sooner or later."

The former Titan sighed. "Just like the Stolls back home. I'm not afraid of them."

The Tweedles turned back to the group with big grins. "Since you guessed correctly," Travis began.

"How about we sing you a song?" Connor finished.

Jason, Piper, and Hazel all groaned. "Don't let them sing," Piper warned.

"Aww, but it's _The Walrus and the Carpenter_ ," Connor argued.

"It's got a moral and everything!" Travis added.

"Yes, about curiosity." Calypso started playing with her hair, acting bored. "And I am _not_ curious to hear you two sing that song about the oysters getting eaten because they were curious."

The brothers' jaws dropped.

Frank howled in delight. "She's really shooting you two down! Smart girl!"

Hazel made a shooing gesture. "So quit while you're ahead and just go away. We've got important business to discuss here."

Connor was about to protest something when another voice joined them:

"I'm glad I finally found you!"

Everyone turned to see a young woman running towards them. She had long, black hair and piercing eyes. Calypso recognized her as Reyna, but she couldn't tell what Reyna's role in this world was. _Who hasn't been introduced?_

Reyna shoved past the Stolls and halted in front of Calypso. "Don't trust them," she huffed.

Calypso smiled. "With faces like those, who would?"

Reyna looked back at the Tweedles, who waved. "Hi, Reyna," Travis greeted.

"No, not them! Right behind me! There are Red guards right behind me looking for you! And they will do anything in their power to bring you to the Red Queen. _Dead_ or alive."

Frank shrank instantly, scampering up to hide in Hazel's hair. Hazel was shaking. "The Red guards? Which ones?"

"Clarisse and Chris," Reyna explained.

Jason groaned. "She _would_ send Clarisse..."

Calypso paled. She didn't really see Clarisse on a good day. All she saw of the daughter of Ares's good side was the one she showed around her boyfriend Chris. Any other time she saw Clarisse was when Leo was running away from her.

"Why would I trust them, though?" Calypso asked. "Just to be clear, since I know they're from the Red Queen."

"The Red Knights will do anything to get you to the Queen," Reyna repeated. "Chris can be very persuasive. Either you'd follow blindly to your doom, not suspecting a thing, or you'd fight and be dragged to the Queen in a body bag."

As if on cue, horses whinnied at the top of the hill. Two lone figures sat astride mighty steeds, a spear in one figure's hand, a sword in the other's. Even this far away Calypso could tell which one was Clarisse.

The knight pointed her spear downward. "Bring me the Abovelander and no one gets hurt!"

"Whoops," Travis groaned. "Maybe we should'a been a teensy bit faster in getting to the lady."

"Ol' bushy tail's gonna hate that we didn't get her for him," Connor complained. "And after we said we would, too."

Jason stepped in front of the group and sent up a giant cloud of mist. A large dodo shadow appeared in front of them. " _LEAVE THE REALM OF THE HATTER AT ONCE, RED KNIGHTS_ ," he boomed. " _YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!_ "

Piper snapped her fingers. The top hat house behind them shrank, the outdoor table and tea sets getting sucked up into the brim. When it was only as big as a bottle, Piper hid the hat inside the top hat already on her head. She looked to Hazel. "So, I'm thinking we run. Jason can't hold that forever."

"Where to, though?" Hazel asked. "The guards will follow us everywhere."

"Not everywhere," Reyna said. "There are a couple of areas out of Annabeth's reach. The White Kingdom is one such place."

"Too far," Piper said. "We'll never make it, especially with the guards on horseback."

Frank piped up from inside Hazel's hair, "The Cheshire Clan. Annabeth doesn't have power in their territory, either."

Reyna nodded. "From what I've heard through the grapevine," she said, turning to Calypso. "You befriended one of their number, correct?"

"Leo, yes, but he was taken back," Calypso said. "He was in trouble."

Reyna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Leo of all Cheshires...it'll have to do. Their territory is closer than the White Kingdom. Can you make it?"

Piper nodded. "We can try. Jason can catch up."

"Right." Reyna pulled out a bottle of water. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help."

"You warned us enough." Piper looked to Calypso. "Reyna is our resident Caterpillar, the keeper of knowledge, the one you don't mess with, etc. I trust her enough to get you to the Cheshire territory."

"You're not coming with me?"

The Hatter shook her head. "I can't leave my Dodo. Reyna can guide you to the Cheshires. Hopefully they can help. The Garden of the Golden Afternoon is near them."

Calypso turned to Hazel and Frank. "What about you?"

Hazel smiled. "Oh, we're coming. We just don't know the way."

"We don't get out much," Frank said. "That, and their territory changes every few weeks."

"Changes?"

Reyna chugged a water bottle and shrank, jumping onto Calypso's shoulder as she did so. "Cheshire Cats are teleporters. They move around on a daily basis. Once they're bored with one area, they move the clan to the next. The longest they've stayed in one place was the Winter of Forever Snow, when the cold drove everyone into hiding in caves for two years."

Frank shivered. "Coldest two years of my life. And I was only a few years old."

"Word of advice," Hazel offered. "When you get to the Garden, don't make the Ice Rose angry. She has quite the temper."

Piper shoved Calypso away. "Go. Drop Leo's name. Tell them you know Nico. Do anything it takes to get in. We'll try and hold off the Red Knights as long as we can."

"And what if they arrest you?"

She grinned. "I'll lose my head? The Queen isn't very creative sometimes, but I'm sure Percy can talk sense to her on our behalf. He's one of Jason's friends."

" _LEAVE NOW!_ " Jason boomed ahead. Calypso didn't know if that was directed at her or Clarisse and Chris. Storm clouds gathered overhead, lightning flickering in the dark clouds.

Calypso and Hazel bolted, carrying Frank and Reyna. The Stoll brothers followed.

"You're coming, too?" Hazel asked.

Travis grinned. "As long as you're headed away from the spear queen and her boyfriend..."

"...we'll be right behind you," Connor finished. "At least until we're further away."

"You won't be able to enter the Cheshire Clan's territory," Frank argued. "They'll never let you in."

"Perish the thought!"

"Who'd want to hang out with a bunch of mangy cats anyway?"

"They've gotta have a hairball problem!"

"Ooh! That's an idea! We could patent something that would clean up hairballs!"

"Or get rid of them completely before they were thrown up!"

The Stolls high-fived. Travis looked at Calypso. "Sorry we couldn't sing you a special song. We _were_ gonna bring you nice and easy to the White Rabbit. After all, you and Percy seem to need to work things out."

"But," Connor said with a sigh. "We can't do anything now that the Red Knights are on your trail."

"Best of luck to you, Abovelander!"

The Tweedles disappeared into the woods, their shadows fading away quickly. Calypso dared to look behind her as she ran, watching in horror as the dodo shadow dropped to the ground and the mist grew thicker. She could have sworn she saw giant top hat shape glide through the mist and try to crush something, but she wasn't sure.

* * *

It was hours before Reyna said they were nearing the Cheshire Cat Clan's territory. It was starting to get dark. Normally, Calypso didn't mind the dark, but the darkness of Underland was unsettling. She shivered.

Reyna caught that. "It is not normally this dark. The Cheshires have a natural defense against intruders. Without proper equipment, no one would be able to navigate their deep, dark ring around the territory. One would just be spat out, after going in circles, into a completely different area."

She took out a pipe and lit the end.

"You smoke?" Calypso asked.

"Smoking is addictive and destroys your lungs," Reyna said disdainfully. "This is not smoking. It is _vaping_."

"In my world, vaping is a type of smoking. It's smoking with an electronic cigarette, and it's still as addictive and dangerous."

Frank and Hazel shared a look of confusion, similar to the one Calypso had given Leo when he'd tried to explain the concept to her the first ten times.

Reyna shrugged. "Be that as it may, in _Underland_ , vaping is not smoking. I, like all other Caterpillars before me, can use the smoke for knowledge. To see clearly, if you will. And what do we need to see clearly now? A path. More specifically, a path to get inside the Cheshire territory."

She sucked on the pipe for a second, then blew a long puff of smoke that elongated further. It glowed blue and descended, resting at the group's feet and stretching out into the darkness, illuminating the night in a soft blue hue.

They followed the path in silence. The smoke disappeared behind them as they walked. The further they walked, the brighter the smoke became, until it was almost unbearable.

Then, the smoke rose up and formed a wispy-looking door.

"Knock," Reyna advised.

"It's made of smoke," Calypso argued.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Are you afraid you'll fall through?"

Calypso hesitated, then raised her hand to tap on the door. To her surprise, it felt solid under her knuckles, as if the smoke were actually wood. She knocked three times and stepped back a bit.

A panel in the door opened and glowing eyes glared at her. They looked around at Hazel and Frank, then hissed. The panel slammed shut and the door disappeared.

The darkness was instantly swept away and Calypso blinked at the brightness that was the half moon in the sky. All around her stood tall trees with curved and leafless branches. Calypso and Hazel stood back to back, glancing around warily at the new threat before them.

In the trees and surrounding them on the ground were hundreds of cats, all in a rainbow of colors. All of them had fluffed-up fur and flat ears. All of them had glowing, glaring eyes pointed right at Calypso and her companions.

And all of them were hissing and moaning hateful meows at the new intruders to the Cheshire Cat Clan territory.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hmm, perhaps seeing the Cheshires was not a good idea after all?  
**_


	8. The Cheshire Cat Clan

**_No excuses from me. I had 3/4ths of this done, then got distracted by other things and my job. Here's the chapter! :D  
_**

 ** _We meet a few new characters, and I hope you guys enjoy the relationship between them and Leo~!_**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Seven: The Cheshire Cat Clan**

Calypso was extremely afraid. She wasn't really a fan of cats in general. Leo the kitten had been an exception to her uncomfortable feeling, but the fact remained that the former Titan was _not_ a cat person.

Cats were not loyal, in Calypso's opinion. They could be vengeful, and mean, and thought mostly of themselves while they tore up everyone else's belongings.

Basically, they were just like every immortal Calypso ever knew—herself from three thousand years ago included.

A dark purple cat with pink stripes appeared through a shimmering wind. They transformed into a woman with dark hair streaked with pink, and eyes that shifted colors like Piper. Calypso thought she'd seen that before. Maybe she'd met a camper like that? Or perhaps seen it in a picture?

"So," the female Cheshire said. "What brings the March Hare and the Dormouse to our borders?"

"Silena," Hazel greeted, bowing her head. "I apologize for the sudden arrival, but we need sanctuary." She gestured to Calypso. "Our friend, 'Alice', needs a safe haven from the Red Queen and her guards before heading home."

 _Silena,_ Calypso thought, not paying attention to the Cheshires' stares. _Oh, wasn't that a daughter of Aphrodite that died in the Titan War? One of Piper's sisters? No wonder she's so beautiful._

A sooty-grey tom with dark eyes and orange stripes hopped down from a tree and wound his tail around Silena's. "She smells strange," he commented.

Silena sniffed. "Like an Abovelander." She moved closer to Calypso. "You wouldn't happen to be the Abovelander our now-tame pyro kitten is smitten with, would you?"

"Smitten with?" Calypso said, surprised.

The tom snickered. "We've never seen Leo so calm and willing to stay in punishment. Silena, here, is an expert on romance, and she says he's fallen hard."

Silena smiled. "Finally your brother grows up a little. He'll get his colors in no time."

"Pardon," Calypso interrupted. "But, Leo was helping me when I fell down here. I need to get back upstairs, and would rather do that with my head on my shoulders. Could you grant us passage through your territory, if only for the night?"

Silena and the tom exchanged a look. Then, the she-Cheshire nodded. "You may come with us. We'll take you to the elders; they'll decide whether you should stay or be killed."

She turned back into a purple and pink cat, gesturing with her tail for the group to follow. "Keep up, though. We won't wait."

She and the tom padded away. Calypso noticed for the first time how huge those two were. They were the size of lynxes, not normal house cats. Some of the Cheshires around them were smaller, but there were others in the trees that were as huge as leopards. All of them had different colored stripes, and none of those stripes were normal tabby colors.

Calypso glanced at Reyna, who was still perched on her shoulder. "Why _are_ the cats here different colors?"

"Why do you have a different hair color from me?" Reyna countered. "Everyone is different. Your cats upstairs may all look similar but they all have differences. The Cheshires are just more open about theirs."

Calypso had to concede to that logic. "Do you think they'll let me see Leo?"

"Depends on whether the Cheshire elders decide to let you live."

"Right…"

They came upon a small valley between hills, covered with trees, dens of bracken and bushes, and piles of freshly killed rodents and deer. Even more rainbow-colored cats stalked around. Some huddled in groups, mostly by age: kittens with kittens and queens, adolescents with adolescents, adults with adults. Some groomed each other, others ate, and some dozed in the moonlight. A corner of the valley glowed orange, smoke rising into the sky.

The group stood in the middle of the valley as Silena went to fetch the elders. The orange-striped Cheshire stayed with them, transforming into a large young man with dark skin, much like Hazel's but darker. He was shirtless, but Calypso wasn't sure that was a bad thing. The orange stripes rolled down his large muscles and broad chest, which reminded Calypso of blacksmith muscles.

"That's Charles," Reyna explained. "Silena's mate."

"Also Leo's big brother," the Cheshire said, flicking his dark tail casually.

"Oh, yes," Hazel said. "Leo did love to talk about his brother. Not from the same litter, though, I see. You definitely are not a kitten." She fanned herself with her hand, much like the Aboveland Hazel. Frank looked uncomfortable.

"You don't look similar," Calypso noted.

Charles shrugged. "We share a scent, why would we need to look the same?"

"Do you fire jump as well?"

The man looked confused. "Fire jump? Is that the term you use for Leo's teleporting? I don't do that. I use smoke—when I 'port, smoke envelops me. Silena hates it sometimes, but it's no different from her misty pink stuff."

"Misty pink stuff," Calypso repeated, remembering Silena popping up in shimmering air that did _not_ look like 'misty pink stuff'. She kept her mouth shut anyway.

A small explosion of air resounded, followed by a sudden cyclone of wind and water rising from the dew of the grasses. The shimmering from before appeared in front of Calypso, who could now see a bit of pink in the air as Silena appeared.

Silena, in she-cat form, sat in front of three elderly-looking cats. One was white with blue stripes, another was grey with yellow stripes, and the third was blue-grey with green stripes.

The white-and-blue cat stepped forward. "You are the Abovelander they call Alice?"

"I am."

"You are wanted by the Red Queen," stated the grey-and-yellow Cheshire. This one was female. "Her guards are everywhere, including at our very borders."

"They circle the dark mists, hoping to catch you," added the blue-grey-and-green tom. "We don't like our borders being pushed like this."

Nearby Cheshires hissed in agreement.

Calypso bowed her head. "I apologize, elders of the Cheshire Cat Clan." She kept her eyes down, thinking back to how one speaks to a god or Titan of higher stature. "It was not my intention to lead them here, but I had no choice. I humbly seek sanctuary and guidance."

"Guidance," the white Cheshire tom repeated. "On what matter?"

"I merely wish to return to the Aboveland," Calypso said. "Is there a quick way to get back?"

The three elders looked at each other thoughtfully. They all bowed their heads and spoke in whispers. The she-cat looked at Calypso with narrowed eyes. "Tell us how you came to be in Underland," she ordered.

The Cheshires gathered around in a rainbow crowd, their ears pricking forward as Calypso told them her tale. She began with how many from Underland had mirrors in Aboveland, like Percy, which was why she had followed the White Rabbit without really thinking. She told them how Leo had helped her travel to the March Hare's, of Hazel and Frank's explanations on the way to the Hatter's—Hazel put in her point of view in a few places to confirm—how the Hatter and Mr. Dodo distracted the Red Guards as she, Hazel, Frank, and the Stolls had gotten away. Reyna let the Cheshires know some minor details that she knew, which wasn't much but had apparently helped, for the elders seemed to trust the word of the Blue Caterpillar.

After she had spun her tale, the elders bowed their heads together and whispered amongst themselves again.

Hazel gave Calypso's shoulder a pat. "Let's hope they feel generous today."

The former Titan nodded. Her distrust of cats was at an all-time high at the moment, and she hoped these particular cats were merciful.

Finally, the blue tom stepped forward, passing Silena and looking Calypso straight in the eye. "You may stay here for the night," he announced. "As for a way to the Aboveland, we must further discuss the safest path for you."

"The Hatter and Mr. Dodo suggested the Garden of the Golden Afternoon," Frank said quietly. Calypso noticed his tail was quivering.

 _He's a mouse,_ she reminded herself. _Of course he's afraid to be amongst so many cats._

"The Garden is the closest route," said the blue tom. "But is it wise to send her there? The flowers are not known to be kind—"

"We figured that," Hazel interrupted. "But if you have any more suggestions, we're all ears."

All three elders gave her a sharp look, as if to say, _You DARE interrupt an elder Cheshire?_ Hazel shut her mouth and backed off.

"We will convene with the lower elders to discuss possible escapes for you, Alice," the she-cat said. "In the meantime, help yourself to some food and find a place to sleep. We make our nests anywhere. If you wish for comfort, you've come to the wrong territory."

The elders disappeared. Calypso blinked as the blue tom turned into water and seeped into the grass, returning the dew to its natural form. The she-cat's body turned into a mini-cyclone and dissipated. The white elder disappeared in a soft burst of smoke, like a much more contained version of Leo's fire jumping. Or maybe that was the way Charles 'ported?

Calypso turned to Silena, who was grooming her tail. "May I see Leo, please?"

The she-cat nodded. "You may not let him out, but you may see him. Charles?"

Her mate brushed pelts with her once before leading Calypso to the orange area of the valley. The heat was intense, making her sweat. She fanned herself with her hand. "Phew," she sighed. "This is where Leo likes to stay?"

Charles nodded. "Ever since he learned to walk, he's been attracted to the fires. No matter where we move to, the fires follow and settle in a corner of our territory. Normally, we use the outer flames as punishment; they singe the fur off of troublemakers, and they usually don't cause trouble again."

"But Leo's immune," Calypso guessed. "So the fires don't work on him."

"And there-in lies the problem. Only once in a hundred generations is a fire Cheshire born. They are destined to leave the clan and never return. Leo should not be exploring outside the territory as a kitten, but he does it anyway. We're waiting for the day he just won't come back."

"That's a little mean."

Charles looked at her with soft eyes. "I didn't mean it like that. We all love Leo. But we know we'll lose him someday. Whether that day kills him or he vanishes into the world without a trace, we won't know."

"The Leo from my world had a similar problem concerning his powers over fire," Calypso said. "His siblings had told him the last fire user had been born over 400 years ago, and that it meant terrible catastrophes were imminent. In the end, he interpreted it as fire users come along as a defense for such catastrophes."

"We don't have any prophecies of danger regarding fire Cheshires," Charles explained. "Perhaps their fiery nature just means they can't be contained within the clan. Or some force of nature in Underland spirits them away for a higher purpose. The clan never knows. But we're all preparing for the day our pyro kitten never returns." He sighed, stopping for a moment. "It hurts knowing my little brother will leave. I just hope he says good-bye."

Calypso nodded, unsure of how to comfort the Cheshire.

Then, Charles looked at her with glistening eyes. "Enough of sadness. I'd like to know what about you is so interesting to our little pyro."

Calypso smiled. "Somehow I just attract him. It seems I'm destined to be near him no matter what incarnation he's in."

"Funny how destiny works, isn't it? Perhaps people are meant to be together so much that fate puts us together in every world."

Calypso nodded. "You know, I think I know who your mirror is in my world. He was dating our world's Silena, and was a half-brother of Leo. But he went by Beckendorf, which was his last name."

Charles chuckled. "Like I said, some people are just meant to be together."

They stopped in front of a large bonfire enclosed within a cage of trees and vines. The trees were gnarled and old, but they didn't turn to ash in the flames. The heat was intense, though—so much so that Calypso thought her eyebrows would catch fire.

"Leo?" she called.

A little brown kitten hopped out of the flames, bounding towards Calypso. Charles stiffened, flattened his ears and hissed, "Don't leave the flames!"

Leo backed up a little and stared at Calypso sadly. "Sorry I can't come to you."

Calypso gave him a smile. "That's okay. I hope you're okay in there."

Leo brightened up. "Oh yes! I love fire! Sending me in here isn't really much of a punishment, really. I love the warmth the fires give!"

"Glad to hear it."

"So, are you here to stay?" Leo asked, his eyes big and hopeful.

"Only for the night," she answered. "Then Hazel, Frank, Reyna, and I are off to the Garden of the Golden Afternoon."

Leo flattened his ears. "I don't like that place. The girls may be pretty, but they're mean! One of them actually tried to pull my tail off!"

Charles glared at the kitten. "Excuse me? When did you go there?"

Leo lowered himself to the ground sheepishly. "Um…a while ago. Like, before I burned the dens…"

"You're going to give Silena and I grey fur, you know that, right?"

Leo looked away, his tail curled around his flank. Calypso wanted to hug him. Leo was still so small, and he looked so helpless.

Charles sighed. "I'm sorry, Leo," he apologized as he stepped closer to the flames. "You know we only want what's best for you. And we don't like worrying about where you are and what you're doing. It would practically kill Silena if she found out the Girls of the Golden Afternoon hurt you!"

If it were possible, Leo might have sunken lower to the ground. He looked to pitiful and ashamed.

Calypso turned to Charles. "Can I please hold him? He looks like he needs a hug."

The Cheshire looked around and whispered. "Make it quick. He's not allowed out of the flames for long."

Leo fire jumped into Calypso's arms and purred. He still looked sad, but at least he was feeling up to a hug. "Thanks," he mewed.

"How long is your punishment?" she asked.

"I don't know," Leo said. "Could be a few more hours. Could be a few days. Depends on what the elders decide."

"But you can escape so easily," Calypso noted. "What kind of punishment is that?"

Leo looked at her with glistening brown eyes. "Just because I _can_ escape, doesn't mean I _should_. I want to help you, Callie. And the fastest way to help you is to take the punishment. Sometimes, you just need to go through punishment to be free."

Calypso smiled. "Then I hope the elders see how much you've grown. You're more mature than when I first met you."

Leo purred. "Thanks."

He 'ported out of her arms and back into flames. "I promise I'll see you again. But I just need to do this first."

Calypso nodded. "Of course. I can't wait to see you again."

Leo trotted deeper into the flames, disappearing. Charles led Calypso back towards the rest of the clan.

"How's Leo?" Hazel asked when Calypso reached the group.

"He's perfectly fine," Calypso said, smiling.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Next up we see exactly why people are so concerned about Calypso going to the Garden of the Golden Afternoon. :)  
**_


	9. Girls of the Golden Afternoon

**_I'm not entirely satisfied with how the middle of this turned out. But I had to give you guys something for your patience.  
_**

 ** _Sorry it's shorter than usual, and after such a long wait too. *bows down* I'm sorry, guys!_**

 ** _Also, I had a numbering issue in the last chapter and totes didn't catch it until just now xD This is chapter nine, not eight. Silly me!_**

 ** _Someone asked me a long time ago if there was an Underland version of Calypso. Well...here's your answer..._**

 _ **I own nothing you recognize as canon.**_

* * *

 **Nine: Girls of the Golden Afternoon**

The Cheshires had kept their word and led Calypso and the group to their edge of their territory the next morning. Charles and Silena had said their goodbyes to the group before a deep shadow cut them off and sealed the Cheshires' territory once more.

Calypso really hoped they'd set Leo free soon. Somehow, every version of Leo Valdez managed to grow on her. On one hand, that annoyed her. A lot. On the other, it made her heart melt.

"Please stay alert," Reyna warned on her shoulder. "We are about to enter the Garden."

"So, remind me why it's so bad in here?" Calypso asked, noting how the land became one of giants. The grass had grown ten feet, and even the rocks and pebbles were the size of small hills and boulders.

Frank's tail twitched. He was full-sized again, much more comfortable now that they had left the cats behind. "The flowers are known to be rather…picky about who enters. The garden is enchanted to grow at least ten times the height of any who enter, so eating chocolate to become bigger is just a waste of time. And because of that, the flowers consider themselves the almighty rulers of Underland."

"Are they?"

"No," Hazel said. "They can't leave the Garden. If they did, they'd become normal flowers and die."

"Sounds harsh," Calypso noted.

Reyna shrugged. "The Garden is not meant for fun. It has a purpose."

"What purpose?"

"It is a prison," called a voice from above.

The group froze, looking up. High above them rose a dark flower with purple and green petals. Thorns grew on the stem, tipped with a sickly green goo. Some of the roots rose up from under the flower and began to writhe. Calypso swore she heard a slight hissing noise.

"Intruders are not welcome in this garden," the flower spat. "Not unless another is intended among our ranks."

She looked at Calypso and Hazel with haunting red eyes. Calypso felt she needed to look away immediately.

"We're just passing through," Calypso said. "But I'm actually looking for the entrance to the Aboveland. Would it be too much trouble to guide me in the correct direction?"

" _Aboveland_!?" the flower screeched. "You _dare_ wish to go to that nasty, dirty place!?"

Suddenly, the ground rumbled. More, even larger flowers suddenly popped up from under the group. One was a frozen, blue rose, whose human-like face was unforgiving and cold. Another was a stargazer with blood-red lips and eyeliner. Some were beautiful like the aforementioned flowers. Others were downright ugly; one had a single eye and her stem was thicker than the rest. Her petals were sickly grey, and her leaves looked flaky.

The icy-looking one bent her stem body and sneered at Calypso. "Why would a worthless little _weed_ like you wish to go upstairs? Obviously you were sent here to be imprisoned."

Hazel gulped. "N-No we weren't. Like Calypso said, we're just passing through."

"Calypso?" growled the one-eyed flower. "Where've I heard that name before?"

The stargazer pondered a moment. "Wasn't that the name of the moonflower that wilted a while back?"

The icy rose shook her petal-decorated head. "No, this is the Abovelander the Red Queen's put a bounty on."

Suddenly all eyes locked onto Calypso. She tried not to seem afraid, but that was pretty difficult. The stargazer grinned like a fox and said to the icy rose, "What do you think we should do, Khione? Help her?"

Oh.

Calypso had thought the icy rose had looked familiar. Apparently Khione was a terrible goddess/flower/icicle in every universe. She glanced at the others, suddenly spotting similarities. The first flower—that had to be Medusa. The way her roots writhed around just drove the thought home. The stargazer kind of looked like Drew, which confused Calypso a little. And the one-eyed flower…Perhaps that was the 'Ma Gasket' Leo kept telling stories about?

Khione huffed, blowing an icy wind in Calypso's direction. "Perhaps we _should_ help her?"

The one-eyed flower barked out a laugh. "Maybe it'll help free us!"

Calypso tried her best smile. "I can certainly make sure you get help," she lied. (Hey, she knew these ladies were evil in any universe. She wasn't stupid.) "How are you trapped here?"

Khione sneered at her. "Misunderstandings, obviously."

" _Misunderstandings_ ," spat the Medusa flower. "Every time there's a new Red Queen, there's always a period of imprisonment. They aren't brave enough to behead people and just stick every beautiful girl here until their king gets crowned. Suspicion puts us here, and jealousy beheads the rest."

Calypso tilted her head. "You mean none of you did anything?"

Reyna shifted on her shoulder. "Careful, they are known to lie."

"I figured that," she whispered. "All of them are villains and terrible goddesses upstairs."

"We are as innocent as you," cried the stargazer. Calypso was 90% certain this was Drew, now.

"Come to think of it," Khione said. "Since you mentioned it, I think there _was_ a moonflower by the name of Calypso a long time ago…" She squinted at Calypso, as if sizing her up. "It couldn't be you…"

Drew screeched in surprise. "It _is_! She looks just like that Calypso!"

Medusa and Gasket both invaded Calypso's personal space. Medusa howled, "How did you do it? We heard you'd wilted! Did you pretend to die? Maybe play dead so the curse would let you leave? HOW DID YOU ESCAPE THIS GARDEN PRISON!?"

Drew grabbed Calypso and held her high above the ground. Her leaves were scratchy and cold. "Tell us your secret and maybe we won't turn you in!"

Hazel seemed to remember she could speak. "Y-You said you would help her!"

Khione slapped Hazel and Frank back. "Oh yes. Help her. 'Her' as in 'Queen Annabeth'. Perhaps turning the fugitive in would allow us our freedom?"

"That would never happen," Frank shouted. "You all know the Red Queen would never set you free for that!"

"Then I suppose we won't turn her in," Khione said with a shrug. "We can crush her like the little weed she is. Speaking of weeds…"

A cold root rose up and began smacking the ground. Frank and Hazel ran around, dodging the roots. Calypso struggled against Drew's leaves, yelling, "Hazel! Frank! Run away!"

Drew cackled. "Before we crush you, you still have to tell us how you escaped, former moonflower! How did you de-flower!?"

Gasket prodded at Calypso's face with her scaly and thorny leaves. "Is that the _real_ reason the Red Queen wants your head? She finally discovered your escape?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Calypso squeaked. "I was never a flower! I'm an Abovelander!"

Medusa sniffed her. "She does seem to smell like she came from upstairs."

Drew's mood soured. "Well, isn't that a shame…"

Khione plucked Calypso out of Drew's leaves. "Then I guess there's no use for you, after all. Shame, really. I was really hoping for some freedom."

She began to squeeze. Calypso felt the breath leave her. Her insides got all squished together.

As her vision tunneled, Calypso saw Hazel and Frank running through the grass and weaving around the roots. Reyna had left her shoulder and disappeared below the flowers. The last thing Calypso saw before blackness took her were two more figures dodging Khione's roots, sprinting towards the flowers.

"You will unhand her, ice flower," one of them—a male—yelled. "By order of the Red Queen!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Not the best chapter in the world, but at least it's something, right?  
**_

 _ **There are three more chapters left in the story. Four if I make a tiny epilogue. Stay tuned to see what happens, guys~!**_


	10. IMPORTANT UPDATE (MUST READ)

**_To my faithful, and sometimes hateful, readers,_**

 ** _No. My stories are NOT up for adoption, and they are NOT abandoned._**

 ** _I've decided to take a hiatus from posting here until I get my writing life back together. I hate to be THIS author, but it's time I said something. I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting, and I'm sorry to be doing this, but my life comes first._**

 ** _Guess what? Fanfiction is a hobby, not a job._**

 ** _To the guest who tells me to kill myself because I'm not updating weekly: Keep telling me that. I actually enjoy those reviews now. They make me smile, because they honestly don't bother me. I'm not being sarcastic, either._**

 ** _Your anonymity makes you feel important, and you think posting that a hundred times will make it seem like a hundred different people are telling me to kill myself. Well, it doesn't. I cannot say it doesn't affect me, because if it didn't I wouldn't be calling you out or replying to your nonsense._**

 ** _What I can say is it doesn't make me—a grown-ass adult in the FUCKING MILITARY—want to kill myself. Hmm, what hurts more? A reprimand from a higher-ranked sailor and/or officer, or the cute little anonymous guest who thinks they deserve everything on a silver platter?_**

 ** _It's definitely not the latter._**

 ** _So, once again, I apologize for the unannounced hiatus. I informed one person already on Tumblr, but never told you guys. I'm still writing, but too slowly to post. I can't keep you guys sitting and waiting forever with no word. So, please look elsewhere for entertainment until I feel ready to post again._**

 ** _MY STORIES ARE NOT ABANDONED. MY STORIES ARE NOT UP FOR ADOPTION. THIS INFORMATION WILL NOT CHANGE WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT BY ME IN AUTHORS NOTES AND ON MY PROFILE. IF EVER I DECIDE TO ADOPT A STORY I WILL TELL YOU ALL ON MY PROFILE AND ON THAT STORY'S LATEST CHAPTER.  
_**

 ** _If anyone claims to be the new 'owner' of my stories and I have not told you in the described manner, report them immediately and PM me._**

 ** _Sincerely yours,_**

 ** _Winekita_**


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